The Art of Breaking
by iwillstillopenthewindow
Summary: They survived the correctional facility. They're 'alive', but are they 'living?


**A/N**: Yes, I am iwillstillopenthewindow from tumblr. I saw a nezushi fanart where Nezumi was dressed up as Eve and Shion was hugging him from behind and well... this is what happened. I've also posted this on both my tumblr and AO3 accounts.

**Disclaimer**: Reunion would have already come if I owned No.6.

* * *

About an hour after hitting the sack, Nezumi would wake up.

The room would be silent, with only a little lamp and its little light trying to paint the darkness with warmth as much as it could.

There would be no signs of intruders or anything that might have caused the disturbance in his sleep. A few seconds later he would feel his middle section being squeezed to death and he'd look down to see a pair of shaking arms wrapped around him.

Nezumi would let out a sigh and would try to go back to sleep. He would be close to doing so when he would feel moisture on the back of his neck. He'd twist around, which would be quite a difficult task because the other boy would have an iron tight grip on him.

The first thing he would see would be Shion's eyes, beautifully heartbreaking red with tears spilling out of them. Shion would not make any noise except for the whimpers that he could not reign in.

"Shion."

Nezumi would whisper his name _(and he would do it again and again and again if he needs to)_ and that would be all the permission Shion needs to bury his face in the crook of his lover's neck. The soft whimpers would be replaced by broken little sobs and broken little _"Nezumi Nezumi Nezumi"s._

Shion would sob due to a different reason now, and Nezumi would still hold him close. They would both drown in an endless sea of _"I'm sorry I should've been stronger I want to change I'm sorry I'm sorry".  
_  
Nezumi would hold Shion's hand and would guide it to rest on his chest, the expanse of it littered by scars.

His face would find its way to Shion's hair and he'll let out a sad "Everyone's a bit damaged, some more than others".

He would then drop a few jokes like "at least Eve never goes half-naked on stage" or "maybe if you'll kiss them they'll heal faster".

Nezumi's laughter would stop short as Shion would lean in and plant small kisses on his bare chest. He'd softly caress the head of white hair slowly making its way up to his lips and after a quick kiss he'd tease the boy yet again with a "I didn't know you liked them so much" and a finger pointing at his scars.

Shion would blush his blush that Nezumi secretly adored because it reminded him of the times when Shion was still a bit more innocent and untainted. Shion would settle for cuddling now, and Nezumi would try not to sleep _(which was difficult because the thump thump thump of Shion's heart against his chest was enough to lull him into a dreamless sleep)_ because he knows that Shion would talk when he thinks that Nezumi's not listening. Nezumi would already be surrendering to _the thump thump thump_ when he would hear a quiet "they make you seem more alive" and that would be the last thing he would hear for the day.

* * *

The little prince would wake up and Nezumi would not be beside him. Shion would immediately start to panic.

He would jump out of bed and run to the bookshelves, poking his head in the spaces between, expecting to see Nezumi going through a book and maybe a "Finally up, Your Majesty? I do hope that you had a pleasant sleep". He would find himself disappointed and he'd run to the bathroom, Nezumi-less, but the slightly wet floor and fogged up mirror would say that Nezumi already took a bath.

Shion would make his way back to their room and would see that breakfast was ready (Macbeth soup, of course) but Nezumi wouldn't be there so he would ignore his grumbling stomach.

_Nezumi wasn't there.  
He left. He went outside.  
What if he doesn't come back?  
What if he meets people from over there?  
What if he doesn't come back?_

His head would be spinning with so many questions and he would almost run out the door when it opens and in comes the answer.

"Finally up, Your Majesty? I do hope that—" But Shion would have already heard what he was going to say and he would a strangled shout of 'Shion!' and a gunshot and so he would press his lips to the other man's and all he could hear now was a 'mmphh'.

He would still hear little snippets of 'no stop' and he would hear himself saying 'he hurt you' and red (blood? Nezumi's blood?) would flash through his eyes and he would deepen the kiss.

Nezumi would pull away, holding Shion by his shoulders and pushing him away by an arm's length. He would notice that Shion was staring at his face but Shion was not _looking at him_ and this would anger him. He'd put a finger under Shion's chin and would tilt it up. Nezumi swims in red at the same time that Shion drowns in grey and they fall in love again.

Nezumi would decide that both of them have done enough falling and he would lean down and they would take flight.

Somewhere along the "don't die on me"s and "open your eyes"s, they would tumble back to bed.

That day's breakfast would be far too cold by the time that they resurface.

* * *

The sky would be streaked with reds and oranges when Shion would wake up and would once again not find Nezumi by his side.

The smell of chicken would fill his nostrils and his heart and when he turns his head he expects to see Nezumi and he does.

He would not say anything and neither would Nezumi, who would just continue cooking.

Nezumi would beckon Shion over as he scoops up soup into bowls for the two of them and they would sit down on their old and worn out couch. Shion would compliment him and would happily wolf down his piece of bread and bowl of soup (not just any soup, Nezumi's soup) that was hot and delicious and Nezumi cooked this it was Nezumi who cooked this because he's alive.

After they eat, Nezumi would grab both their bowls and would head to the sink to wash them. Shion would try to help, of course, but Nezumi would shoo him away and would tell him to "Take a bath, Your Majesty. We've had quite an exciting day and it would be best if you'd relax and take a soak before retiring" as he smirks that smirk of his that makes Shion weak in the knees.

Shion would waste no time in getting into the tub and would not waste any time in it too. He would quickly dry himself and would run back into the room with water still dripping from his hair.

He'd see Nezumi with his finger running across the spines of the books on the bookshelves and Shion couldn't help but remember the way the same finger ran across the curve of his back earlier today and he flushes red.

He would call out to Nezumi, tell him that it was his turn to take a bath, when the shouting and the blood and the crying would haunt him again and instead he would run (he's been doing that a lot lately) and would not stop (it was only less than ten steps but it felt like a hundred) until he felt Nezumi caged in his arms.

"Shion?"

"Ne-Nezumi."

"…Are you okay?"

"You've been worse."

"Shion, let me go. I want to see your face."

"…"

"Shion."

Said boy (no, man) would let his arms fall to his sides and suddenly Nezumi's face would be too close (not that either of them minded, both of them don't understand the concept of 'personal space' even when they were still young) and Shion could feel his breath on his face.

Nezumi's hand would be on Shion's face, stroking the red scar. He would continue to do so until Shion's breaths slow down and maybe once he gets tired of doing it (never never never).

"You seem to like that snake."

Nezumi would hear the underlying question of "why?" and he'd smile.

"It's beautiful, don't you think? Having a snake wrapped around your body. Makes it seem like it's trying to squeeze the air out of you-"

Nezumi would stop and lean down, capturing Shion's lips in a chaste kiss.

"-which makes it quite ironic, since this snake saved your life."

He'd lean down again, his lips finding refuge in the crook of Shion's neck. They would stay there as he would murmur a sad "and you saved mine".

Shion would shake his head 'no' wildly and Nezumi would pull back and would put his hands on both sides of Shion's face to make him look at him.

"Shion, I'm okay."

"No no no no"

"Shion, we're okay."

"No! no no no no"

"Shion—"

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry"

Nezumi's hands would move. One would to Shion's red scar and the other would rest on his clothed chest.

"Shion, these scars, they make us seem more alive, don't they?"

Shion would put his arms around Nezumi again, which Nezumi would take as a "yes".

Nezumi would wrap his own arms around Shion's trembling form, would softly kiss the top of his white hair.

He would welcome everything that Shion throws at him, for with every 'Nezumi I'm sorry' and 'he hurt you' and 'open your eyes' he tries but fails to keep in the 'Shion!' and 'stop!' and 'I don't want you to change'.

With the grace of a stage actor, Nezumi would gently maneuver them to the bed, pulling the covers over their bodies.

Underneath the sheets, they would hold hands.

Underneath the sheets, they would dream.

Underneath the sheets, Nezumi would look at Shion and Shion would look at Nezumi.

Nezumi would smile (he's been doing that a lot lately) the sad smile that Shion dislikes and would repeat his little "Everyone's a bit damaged, some more than others".

After all, it takes a broken man to know another.

* * *

The sun would be beginning to rise when Nezumi would wake up. He would panic when he doesn't see a fluff of white hair beside him.

He would not waste another second and would be up and out of the door in a beat. He would be about to go up the stairs leading to the _outside_ when he would see Shion skipping down, a bag of fresh bread in his arms.

"Nezumi?"

Nezumi would just stare and Shion would walk towards him and would hold his hand and would guide it to the red scar on his face.

Shion would then smile his sad smile that Nezumi absolutely abhors and would say his little "There you go, makes me seem more alive, right?".

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews? :)


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